Poisoning our children

IRISH Dentists Opposing Fluoridation are concerned that a dental officer stated that children shouldn’t rinse their mouths after using fluoride toothpaste (Irish Examiner, July 20).

In the USA toothpaste tubes must warn people who swallow fluoride toothpaste to contact a poison control centre.

Many children in fluoridated areas suffer dental fluorosis, permanent staining of the teeth by too much fluoride. In more serious cases it is ugly brown mottling. This has led to children needing unpleasant dental work. Dental fluorosis is the first outward sign of possible internal damage to other organs.